Articles

1978 was the year that Williams Sonoma first imported balsamic vinegar commercially to the US.  Soon after it was found in fine restaurants and gourmet good shops all over the US.  Now, over four decades later you can find balsamic vinegar just about everywhere!  Some labeled “balsamic vinegar” bear no relation to the real thing.  Here’s how to choose and appreciate the true flavor of balsamic vinegar.The HistoryItalians have been making balsamic vinegar since Roman times.  It was used mainly for medicinal purposes.  Sometimes used as a sweetener or to enhance the savoriness of certain foods.  Production was limited to...

Did you know that vomFASS in Plano, TX is the premier leader and retailer of fresh oils, vinegars, exquisite spirits and liqueurs, and small-batch whiskies?  All sampled directly from the cask.  Your visit includes a “tour around the world” with knowledgeable staff members to help you navigate and taste the finest and most flavorful products.Our producers come from the Swiss Alps to the Mediterranean to Plano, TX!!! Many are multi-generational businesses just like vomFASS Plano.  They follow some of the most strict guidelines for cultivation, harvesting, maturation and extraction practices.If you are a Plano foodie or simply want your food...

The ultimate American spirit – Bourbon.  Originally hailed from Bourbon County, Kentucky, now served right in here in Plano, TX.  Legal requirements are 51% corn, produced in the US, in new oak barrels.  Blended or straight – do you know the difference? Blended – can contain other flavorings or spirits but must be at least 51% straight bourbon.Straight – bourbon has aged at least 2 years and has no other flavoring or coloring.To truly appreciate bourbon whiskey on its own there are two ways to do so.  First, Purists like to drink bourbon neat. Neat, by definition, is room temperature...

Whiskey – there’s so much of it!  How do you know what you like?  I will help you navigate through the proper way to taste whiskey. First you need a notepad and pen.  You will not be able to remember everything about the whiskey if you don’t take notes. After your notepad and pen, you need whiskey!!!  Next you will need the right glassware.  The glass should be shaped like an elongated sherry glass with a stubby stem.  You want to direct the aroma towards your nose.  Write in your notes what the whiskey looks like – use words like gold,...

I’m sure you’ve heard that saying before!!!  If you define whiskey it is a distilled spirit from a fermented grain mash then aged in wooden barrels.  Whiskey can be made anywhere in the world.  Popular styles of whiskey include Scotch whisky, Irish whiskey, and American whiskey.  The most popular whiskey in America is, you guessed it, bourbon! Bourbon has some specific regulations to be called a bourbon.  It needs to be produced in the US, made from 51% corn and stored in a new, charred oak barrel, and aged at least 18 mos.  Whiskey does not have the same regulations...